Pistachio

There’s something elegant and desirable about the perfect green pistachio. Even selecting a scoop of nutty pistachio gelato from your favourite ice cream store feels a somewhat more refined and chic choice than settling into a universally loved chocolate or caramel cone.

It’s little wonder the pistachio is heralded as a premium nut; it’s been that way for thousands of years. The earliest recorded pistachios can be tracked back to 7000BC where they first sprouted on trees in the Middle East. Tales of peoples’ fondness of the nut have been noted throughout history.

From the Middle East, the pistachio made its way to Europe then over to the States. The pistachio industry was small here in the 70s, but has since boomed into a mega industry today. California has even surpassed Iran to become the largest producer of pistachios in the world. In particular it’s the Kerman variety (named after a city in Iran), large with green, heart-healthy fatty meat and a milky, off-white shell, which is most commonly grown and sold here.

Pistachios add sophistication, flavour and crunch to both savoury and sweet dishes. In home cooking, they’re often enjoyed super simply – toasted and sprinkled on seasonal stewed or roasted fruits, mixed through a salad just before serving to maintain their crunch, crushed and pulsed for a fish or chicken crust, baked in biscotti, or thrown into a homemade toasted muesli mix... Come along to Maude in March to experience all of the unique and elevated ways we’ll manipulate and cook with the popular pistachio and enjoy a taste of the hero ingredient in each course of the degustation.

Four RegionsWine Pairing Journey

Here at Maude, we love what we do. From meeting with local growers and farmers, dreaming up and testing new dishes, to cooking night after night for our special guests, we always have a food story or two worth sharing.

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